Personal branding refers to the way you position yourself as an attractive resource and market your skills to the world. As far as IT consultants are concerned, effective personal branding can help them gain a competitive edge and impress recruiters. It is no longer the sole domain of public personalities and celebrities. In today’s competitive business landscape, technology professionals should consider personal branding as an important ‘skill’ to further their careers.
Why personal branding is important
Why should you focus on personal branding? Entrepreneur and author of best-selling ebook “Personal Branding for Technology Professionals” Rajesh Setty says that commoditization and oversupply of common skills is a challenge that many IT professionals have to contend with. It is not enough to just have in-demand skills or specialist knowledge in specific domains – you need to market them effectively for sustained career growth.
What are the benefits of maintaining a strong personal brand? A powerful brand is associated with higher value. It can be used as a great ‘sales tool’. As an IT consultant, you are always on the lookout for client projects to work on; effective personal branding can better convince clients about your capabilities and help you ‘sell’ your services successfully.
How to go about it
Make the effort to build an enviable reputation. As a job seeker, you can strengthen your LinkedIn, Google+ and other profiles to become more visible to employers. Professional and focused profiles attract immediate attention, and play an important role in getting your foot through the door.
Treat your social profile as your business card and position your accomplishments and skills effectively. Forum discussions, LinkedIn recommendations and authoritative article posts can all create a good impression when you are looking for a job. “You are your biggest asset. Take time to craft a compelling elevator pitch for yourself. You will see people take greater interest, and your effort will pay back big-time” Setty advises.
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